Archive of Our Own

The noise of the blows drowned out both the chatter of the passersby and his own thoughts. Even if someone tried to say something to him, Suo didn’t hear it. Step to the right and step to the left. He redirected the attacks and punches of his opponents with light and almost reflexive movements. While patrolling the city, they encountered a gang that had been terrorizing the streets of Makochi for a long time. They robbed shops, threatened vendors, and harassed ordinary citizens. A completely unremarkable group of criminals. Usually, the Bofurin participants deal with them quickly. However, every time one of them fell, two more appeared to replace them. Again and again, as if they were endless. They weren’t strong, but their sheer numbers were exhausting. Blood from strangers mixed on the concrete floor with the blood of Sakura and Kiryu, who had taken a few hits in the fight.

His vision blurred with red stains and unconscious bodies scattered across the ground, and his ears felt stuffed, as if someone had packed them with cotton. Even so, Suo was still on his feet, dodging to avoid getting hit. The untouchable member of Bofurin. No one had ever seen him injured, and he would never allow anyone to witness his weakness. After knocking down another opponent, he brushed off his clothes and noticed that no one else was attacking him. Had they finally run out of people? Moments ago, two or three enemies were rushing him at once, and now the street was empty, littered only with bodies. His gaze swept around, searching for enemies or teammates. But it was quiet and deserted, like after an apocalypse.

“S… Suo!”

He flinched slightly at the familiar voice. With a sharp turn, he barely managed to dodge the man lunging at him. When had he spaced out so badly that he didn’t even notice the attack? His limbs felt unbearably heavy from exhaustion as he shifted into a fighting stance. A quick flick of the man’s hand—and steel flashed before Suo’s eye. His own strike missed completely. Trying to keep his balance and avoid collapsing, Suo stepped to the side, intending to slip behind his opponent in one smooth motion. But the man was faster. The blade plunged into his leg, cutting the maneuver short.

A sharp pain flared in his thigh, swallowing him whole. He exhaled in irritation, his face twisting in a grimace. He didn’t have time to counterattack—something black and white flashed in front of him, and a second later, the attacker was punched so hard he dropped unconscious. Sakura was furious, his mismatched eyes blazing as he kept hitting the man long after he’d stopped moving.

“Sakura, enough,” Suo’s own raspy voice grated unpleasantly in his ears. He had to force himself to keep a calm expression. He sounded pathetic. “Was that the last one?”

“Yes,” Kiryu replied calmly, having stood nearby the whole time.

“Suo, are you okay?” Sakura rushed to him, scanning him from head to toe with frantic worry.

“I’m fine. It’s nothing serious,” Suo waved him off.

“Says the guy with a knife in his leg,” Kiryu muttered, leaning closer. No matter how hard he tried to stay composed, the worry in his furrowed brows gave him away as he tried to think of what to do next. “Potos is nearby. Nirei and the others should’ve returned from patrol by now. Can you hold on a bit longer?”

“Yeah, no problem.” Suo glanced at his leg and was about to take a step when Sakura stopped him.

“Wait!” Sakura looked confused, worried, and even a little scared. All those emotions mixed so chaotically that it was hard to tell exactly what he felt. “We need to stabilize the knife.”

“Don’t worry, it’s not deep…”

“Don’t joke about that,” Sakura snapped, his black-and-white brows drawing even tighter as more anxious lines appeared on his forehead.

His face looked so wrong. He shouldn’t be worrying this much over a knife in the leg of Bofurin’s untouchable member. Sakura silently handed Kiryu his school jacket, knowing Kiryu was better at first aid. The sleeves were wrapped tightly around his thigh, securing the knife. This shouldn’t have happened. They shouldn’t be worrying about him like this. His stomach twisted at the thought, but he kept his expression calm, even though his usual faint smile barely held on his lips. All he could do was not to cause them any more trouble. He felt their hands grab him under the shoulders, helping him walk forward.

Soon they reached Kotoha’s café and Nirei immediately rushed outside. He must’ve seen them through the window. The blond boy bombarded them with questions while holding the door and darting around for the first-aid kit. Kiryu answered calmly and clearly, while Sakura shifted anxiously from foot to foot. He always struggled to express emotions and always felt guilty when someone got hurt. But he definitely hadn’t expected the injured one to be his vice president.

They sat Suo down, stretching his injured leg out. Nirei carefully removed the knife and rolled up the pant leg so the blood wouldn’t soak into the fabric. Just as Suo expected, the wound wasn’t deep. But as soon as the blade was pulled out, blood gushed out in a stream, staining the wooden floor. Steady hands cleaned and bandaged the wound. Probably he could've done it himself. He’d learned first aid as a child. There was no one to help him back then, so between bleeding out and bandaging himself, he always chose the last option. Suo could do everything alone without bothering anyone. But his thoughts buzzed anxiously in his skull, making it impossible to focus on anything.He felt his face had long since lost its former smile. The corners of his lips hurt from the angle at which they had curled. It probably looked strange and pitiful from the outside, but he couldn’t let the smile drop. If he did, the mask he wore would shatter instantly. He wasn’t ready to fall any lower. He had to be strong. For himself and for everyone else. If he couldn’t win a simple fight against a thug with a knife, how was he supposed to protect the weak? To be stronger, to be better. All those words he repeated to himself every time, in every fight and every training session. But where were those words now? Where were they today, in the moment when Suo had pathetically lost to some guy with a knife?
“Suo.”
A soft, warm voice pulled him out of the tangle of his thoughts. Kotoha was smiling gently at him, though worry showed in every movement she made. She carefully pushed a steaming cup of tea toward him. “Tea with sugar. Please, drink a little.”
He nodded and took the hot cup in his hands. The pleasant sweetness of the aroma filled his lungs. His head still throbbed. His stomach twisted from anxiety so badly that he didn’t even want to drink. Even so, he took a sip, if only to keep everyone from worrying even more. Suo realized he’d been right when he heard the faint sigh of relief from the girl beside him — her shoulders visibly relaxed. Only now did he truly begin to understand where he was. He sat on a chair. His injured leg propped up on another chair, with a pillow tucked underneath to reduce blood loss.
Most of their classmates had already left. They probably left before the group arrived. Sakura, Kiryu, and Nirei sat at the far table — the one their group usually gathered at. Sugishita and Umemiya were there too. They were all eating, occasionally glancing at Suo with worried expressions. Those looks made him avert his gaze awkwardly and stare into his cup, where the tea was slowly cooling.

“Sorry about all this,” he murmured into the empty space, gently rocking the cup and watching the tea ripple like tiny waves.

“You don’t need to apologize, Suo,” Kotoha replied softly, having heard his quiet words. “No one is angry with you. Everyone was worried. You just need to let them help you. You’re not alone.”

“I should’ve been more careful… then none of this would’ve happened.”

“Maybe. But we’re all human. What’s done is done. You can’t change it now.” The girl smiled slightly though. Although anxiety still lingered on her shoulders. “How are you feeling? Perhaps you should still see a doctor.

The wound isn’t deep, probably won’t need stitches, but you really need to cut back on training and patrols.”

“No need, I’m already feeling better.”
The eye not covered by his patch curved into a crescent as he tried to give her a sincere smile. He tried to ignore how the room spun slightly when he turned toward her.

“You sure?” Nirei’s voice sounded so close that Suo flinched.He didn't even notice him approaching. Maybe because every time he moved his head, his vision flickered, and his ears filled with a dull static, like an old TV.

“Absolutely,” he said, though he was not sure at all. However, he still had to somehow make it home.

Leaning on the edge of the table, Suo lowered his injured leg from the chair and placed it on the floor. He released the hand that had been supporting him just moments before. His head spun, and nausea rose from the pain. He stubbornly ignored every symptom and took a step. Only… he didn’t feel himself moving forward at all. Instead, he felt his balance slip, and the floor seemed to come closer and closer in his vision. The moment his face was about to hit the cold ground, strong hands caught him under the shoulders. Suo lifted his gaze and saw Sakura’s irritated face. His friend’s lips were moving quickly, but Suo couldn’t make out a single word. All he heard was the pounding of his own heartbeat. The heterochromatic boy immediately realized that Suo was staring at him with an empty, unfocused look, unable to understand anything. He said something to the others, and a second later Sugishita appeared on Suo’s other side. Together, they lifted him and slowly guided him to the exit.

“Well, this is humiliating,” was Suo’s first coherent thought.

He would never judge anyone for ending up in a situation like this. He also knew perfectly well that the members of Bofurin weren’t trying to embarrass him. However, this didn’t lessen his anxiety. He lost a lot of blood and skipped breakfast. It was entirely his fault that his body had weakened so much it refused to cooperate. All he could do now was move his legs enough so that his friends wouldn’t have to drag him across the floor. At least Nirei remembered the way to his home. During that terrible storm, Suo offered them shelter because he lived closest. If he’d had a choice, he wouldn’t have revealed where he lived, but it had been an emergency. And now, he doesn't need to explain anything. He wasn’t in any condition to talk. His usual jokes or attempts to reassure them wouldn’t help. They weren’t blind. They could clearly see the state he was in. Considering that he still couldn’t hear what they were saying, he wouldn’t be able to hold a conversation even if he tried.

By the time they reached his house, Suo's vision and hearing had returned to clearer levels. So by the time they arrived at his house, he finally answered them. This eased the other's anxiety, which he had only just noticed.

“Is your teacher home?” Nirei asked anxiously, stepping closer to the boy with the eyepatch, whom Sakura was still supporting.

“He should be back today. So don’t worry too much. I’ll just lie down and rest, and tomorrow I’ll be good as new.”
In truth, Suo had no idea when his teacher would return. The man never warned him about his comings and goings. But the others didn’t need to know that — it would only make them worry more.

“I can stay with you and help until your teacher comes,” Nirei insisted.

“I can stay too,” Sakura said, nodding in agreement and tilting his head so he could stay in Suo’s line of sight.

“There’s no need. You’ll just waste your time watching me sleep,” Suo waved him off, still insisting that everything was fine.

“That’s not a problem! It’s really no trouble. What matters is that you’re okay!” The blond boy continued, as energetic and persistent as before.

“I’ll be fine. I promise.”

“Promise?”
The question came out almost pleading. Amber eyes watched his face closely, waiting for reassurance. Hayato nodded and forced out an approving smile.

“Alright… then don’t forget to eat. You need it more than ever right now. And if anything happens, or if you need something, call me or any of us. Please, Suo.”

“You’re talking like I’m about to die,” Suo muttered, and Nirei’s face twisted with even more worry. Sakura nudged him with his elbow, clearly unhappy with the phrasing. Suo let out a quiet chuckle.

“Everything will be fine. And if anything happens, I’ll call.”

That settled it. They finally agreed to leave the injured boy alone. They waved to each other, exchanged a few quick goodbyes, and soon dispersed, leaving him by himself. Leaning on the wall, Suo opened the door and finally stepped inside. His friends were right. He really did need to eat. As much as he hated the idea, his body needed fuel to keep functioning. He had genuinely planned to cook something. However, all he managed to do was limp to the couch and collapse onto it. Exhaustion fell over him like a heavy blanket, instantly pulling him into a deep sleep.

He woke only an hour later, feeling sharp tingling in his leg. Because of the awkward position in which he slept, his already injured leg had gone numb and now hurt even more. He had to fully wake up to stretch it out. There was no point in trying to fall asleep again. He didn’t want to waste more time and ruin his routine.

To pull himself together faster, Suo finally decided to prepare something to eat. He stretched, rubbed his eyes, and adjusted his leather eye patch. It wasn’t always comfortable. For example, in hot weather, the area under the eye sweats, causing unpleasant irritation. Even at home, he preferred to wear it; he felt strangely exposed without the thing that had become almost a part of him. Only before bed did he change it to a medical one, though that still covered his eye.

He was lucky. There was still some leftover rice in the fridge and a few pastries his teacher had brought. This meant that he could have tea with them later. He poured the rice into a bowl and reheated it in the microwave. Soon the food was ready. He took his chopsticks and began to eat. His stomach ached slightly as he chewed, but he hadn’t even realized how hungry he was until now. He hadn’t eaten all day. Once he finished the rice, made tea, and grabbed a pastry, he felt noticeably better. His head no longer hurt, and the pulsing in his ears stopped. Hayato even felt like he could handle a training session. Although his friends certainly wouldn't approve of it. But he had to. Especially after what happened today. None of this should have happened if he had trained harder. So right after eating and drinking his tea, Suo headed to the dojo. He and his teacher trained there every day and meditated before going to bed. When his teacher was away, Hayato still came here for training and evening meditation. He imagined that wherever his teacher was, he was still training and becoming stronger, so he was in no hurry to lag behind him.

This time, his movements weren’t as smooth. The wound on his thigh made it impossible for him to perform a proper lunge or kick. Every sharp motion sent pain shooting through his leg, but he kept going anyway. He liked the feeling of his muscles working. His teacher often told him not to overwork himself because that was bad for the muscles. But sometimes Suo simply couldn’t stop training until he was completely exhausted. This exhaustion always helped him fall asleep quickly, keeping his mind from spiraling into thoughts. And now, with no one around to stop him, Suo kept pushing himself.

At some point, it didn’t even look like training anymore. It seemed like he was so lost in his thoughts that he was striking without thinking. He used kicks and punches, sometimes clenching his hand into a fist to deliver an especially hard blow to the punching bag. In real fights, he never used his fists, sticking to the elegant fighting style he had inherited from his master. Only when he was alone in the training hall did his artificial opponent receive blows filled with anger. It helped him calm his emotions by redirecting all the frustration he felt toward himself onto something else.

The strikes continued despite the pain in his limbs and the increasing difficulty in raising the injured leg. None of that mattered. Becoming stronger and being able to protect himself – this was what mattered. He was no longer a little kid, and mistakes like today’s were unforgivable. No one would save him like last time. These thoughts only fueled his anger, making his strikes harsher.

He would’ve kept going if he hadn’t suddenly felt something running down his leg. It definitely wasn’t sweat. It was too thick and too sticky. This sensation snapped him back to reality. He quickly rolled up the wide pant leg that he hadn’t changed out of since coming home. Now he could see it. His entire leg was covered in blood. For several seconds, Suo simply stared as it ran down his thigh and soaked into his sock.He only fully snapped out of it when the warm blood began seeping inside. He had to do something. He crossed the room quickly and made his way through the hallway to the bathroom.He immediately removed his sock.

“…Oh, hell…” Suo muttered, anxiety tightening in his chest as he looked at the wound.

Because he had pushed himself too hard during training, he had only torn the wound open even more. He could try to re-bandage his leg, but there was no guarantee that the bleeding would stop quickly and not start again. The last thing he wanted was to start bleeding again tomorrow during a normal walk and scare everyone to death. There was only one reliable option left. He needed to stitch up the wound.

Of course, this option didn’t make Suo happy at all. He would’ve preferred to delay it as long as possible. However, he couldn’t think of any other solution. He patted his pants, searching for his phone, only to remember that he’d left it in the kitchen when he was drinking tea. Fine. It didn’t matter. He could handle this on his own. He didn’t have much experience stitching wounds, but he had once seen a doctor do it. Plus, he knew how to sew clothes. The important thing was not to think too much about it.

So Suo immediately grabbed the first-aid kit, hoping it had a medical thread and a needle. To his surprise, he found them immediately.

So there he was, sitting on the floor with his leg up on the closed toilet, trying to minimize the amount of blood. He spent another minute trying to thread the needle. Losing an eye severely affected his depth perception. In a fight, he had adapted and rarely made mistakes anymore. But with a needle, he kept missing, unable to judge how close the eye of the needle actually was. Eventually, with some struggle, he managed to thread it through.

Suo wiped his leg again with toilet paper, soaking up the excess blood and cleaning the area. Without hesitating, he got to work. At first, the sensations were awful. The feeling of something foreign piercing and pulling his skin together sent shivers down his spine. The pain was sharp, and he lightly bit his tongue to endure it. Stitch by stitch, he got the hang of it, finishing faster than he expected. He had no idea how to tie off the medical thread, so he simply did what he would do when finishing embroidery. Examining the wound, Hayato confirmed that it wasn’t as bad as he had feared. The stitches looked neat enough and didn’t pull. Maybe they were far from surgical quality, but for now, this was the best he could do.

Suo leaned back against the cold bathroom tiles, tilting his head up. His vision dimmed slightly as he let out a strained laugh.
“Today is just a terrible day.”

His shoulders trembled with nervous laughter as he felt a cold drop sliding down his cheek. With hands shaking from stress, Suo quickly wiped it away. His eyes burned. The tears he could no longer hold back were rising too fast. All he could do was let himself cry. He removed his eyepatch and squeezed it in his hand, as if it could keep him from falling apart. Salty drops streamed down his face as he let out a quiet, broken sob.

It felt like the peaceful life he had spent so long piecing together had collapsed because of a single mistake. Here he was again – sitting and crying in a bathroom, just like years ago, when his parents fought endlessly and took their anger out on him. He wanted to be a child again. To hug his teacher. The one who had pulled him out of that life and fell asleep without fear. But now he felt only loneliness and hopelessness, both of which he had created himself.

His entire body ached with exhaustion, and his injured leg burned and tingled unpleasantly. Suo felt sick just looking at it. Just one thought of what he had just done was enough to bring on another wave of nausea. The sleeves of his tangzhuang were soaked with tears he kept trying to wipe away.

None of this would’ve happened if he had trained his endurance properly. Then, he wouldn’t have collapsed after a thirty‑minute fight. Everything would’ve been fine if he had made himself coffee instead of tea that morning, when he already felt tired and drained. He had structured his life so rigidly around a routine that any unexpected event threw him completely off balance, turning everything into chaos.
So when Suo finally took a warm bath to calm down, meditated for exactly as long as he usually did. He tried to restore at least a fragment of his familiar routine. Even if it was already the end of the day. But when he lay down in bed, sleep still wouldn’t come.

This was the last straw.

The bed felt uncomfortable, and the ceiling seemed to press down on him. Accepting that he wouldn’t fall asleep, he grabbed his phone from the shelf and checked his notifications. The group chat had several messages. Classmates are joking around and discussing a new patrol layout for tomorrow. The captain and vice‑captain didn’t explain the reason for the changes, and Suo was genuinely grateful for that.

He also had private messages from Sakura and Nirei asking how he was feeling, along with two missed calls from them. Opening his chat with Sakura, Suo stared at their conversation for a while. His finger hovered over the keyboard. Should he write that he was fine? Complain about his insomnia? Or ask how Sakura is doing? After all, Sakura had also been hurt in the fight. Thoughts raced one after another until Suo turned off his phone and placed it back on the nightstand. A heavy wave of guilt squeezed his chest. It was late. His friend was probably asleep, and Suo didn’t want to make him worry again. He was sure he didn’t deserve that kind of care.
The cold floor sent chills up his legs as he walked barefoot to the dojo. Training would either exhaust him enough to finally pass out or at least improve his skills and his endurance. Either way, he would have benefited.

This time, Suo didn’t overwork himself. His movements were less sharp and more controlled, and he tried not to use his injured leg at all. Fatigue tingled at his fingertips, but he kept going, knowing that it still wasn’t enough to make him fall asleep.

Dodging, striking, turning and dodging again. Hours passed like that. Outside, the world was pitch black. There was not a single soul around. Even the street gangs preferred to stay home and rest – unlike Suo. Right now, he envied everyone who was asleep.

The clock on the wall passed four o’clock in the morning when he finally decided to take a break. Unscrewing the cap of the water bottle that always stayed in the room, he sat down by the wall and took several greedy gulps. Soon, the bottle was empty.

He closed his eyes and leaned his head against the wall. The dim light from the lamp was soft enough not to sting his eye. Only then, for the first time that night, he felt a moment of peace.
Leaning his shoulders against the wall, he let his mind shut down and slip into sleep despite the uncomfortable position.

Suo’s eye snapped open at the sudden sensation of falling. The sunlight immediately hit his face, making him squint. His gaze shifted to the wall clock. It was already six in the morning. He slept only thirty minutes longer than usual. However, judging by how he felt, his internal clock wouldn’t have let him sleep any longer anyway.

Getting up from the floor was difficult. His entire body achedю Especially his neck after sleeping in such an awkward position. No matter how exhausted he’d been after training before, this was the first time he had fallen asleep right on the floor. Either way, Suo had to add a quick morning warm‑up to loosen his muscles before meditation. Then everything followed his usual routine: washing up, tea with the rest of the pastry he forced himself to finish before school, and choosing clothes, since his pants and tangzhuang were in the wash after yesterday.

While adjusting his eyepatch, Suo heard his phone vibrate. It was still lying on the nightstand where he’d left it the night before. Approaching it, he immediately recognized the number and Nirei’s name before picking it up.

“Hello?”

“Morning, Suo. How are you?” Nirei’s voice sounded cheerful despite the early hour and the wind distorting the sound through the speaker.

“Ah, yeah, I’m fine. I was just about to head out.” Suo glanced at the corner of the screen, noticing he was ten minutes late for their usual meeting near Sakura’s house. “Oh… looks like I’m running a bit late. Sorry.”

“It’s fine, we’re already on our way to your place,” Nirei replied easily. Now Suo could hear Sakura’s voice in the background. He was saying something, but the wind drowned out his words.

“You didn’t have to,” Suo said, gripping the phone a little tighter as a strange feeling stirred in his chest.

“Tell him it’s too late and he better get outside!” Sakura shouted in the background, clearly annoyed that his earlier words hadn’t been heard.

“I think you heard Sakura,” Nirei laughed softly, accompanied by Sakura’s grumbling. “Come out, and wear something warm under your windbreaker. It’s windy today.”

“Mm. Thanks, Nirei.”

Suo looked at his new white tangzhuang. It was a little thicker than usual, so Suo nodded in satisfaction.

The blond boy quickly said something before hanging up. A warm feeling spread through Suo’s chest, making him smile. Maybe he didn’t deserve friends like this or the way they treated him, but he was still grateful. Endlessly grateful for their care.

He slipped his phone into the pocket of his wide pants and headed toward the door. As soon as he stepped outside, he saw two figures approaching his house. A cold gust of wind brushed against his face, bringing with it a sense of calm. Suo saw Nirei waving at him and automatically raised his hand in response.

The walk to school went as usual. Nirei and Sakura pretended not to notice how Suo’s pace slowed or how he limped slightly. They probably already knew that he wouldn’t tell them anything and would insist that he didn’t need help. So instead of pushing him, they simply let him walk at his own pace, always ready to support him if needed.

On their way, they stopped at Kotoha’s cafe. She was very worried and visibly relaxed when she saw them. She handed them a few buns and asked if they could help her a little after school. Eventually, the boys reached school without any incident.

The stairs then became a new problem. Even though Suo had been able to train yesterday. Which only made things worse. The exhaustion from lack of sleep and the pain in his leg turned the stairs to the second floor into a personal seventh circle of hell. Keeping a calm expression was difficult, but Suo pushed through despite the worried looks from his friends and passing students. He felt every gaze linger on him longer than usual, watching him with curiosity as soon as they noticed even one extra wrinkle on his usually composed face. The atmosphere pressed on him more than he expected.
The moment they opened the classroom door, all the noise they’d heard from the hallway instantly died down.

“Hey, guys,” Kiryu appeared in front of them, saving them from the awkward silence. “How was the walk?”

“Morning. Everything’s fine. The streets are clear. I’m sure it’ll stay that way until lunch,” Sakura reported directly, like the class captain he was.

“Good.” Kiryu’s pink hair slid over his shoulder as he tilted his head toward Suo. “And you?”

“I’m fine! Full of strength and energy. I could even go on patrol,” the upperclassman replied as brightly as he could, forcing his usual smile onto his face.

Kiryu gave him a look that could only be described as disbelief. Anyone with eyes could see the dark circles under Suo’s eyes and the way his hands trembled before he quickly hid them behind his back.
“I’m glad to hear that,” Kiryu said, “but I’m afraid all patrol spots for today are already taken. So you’ll have to rest.”
His tone grew firmer at the end, making it clear this decision wasn’t up for debate.

Suo only nodded and walked further into the classroom. There was no point in arguing, so he simply let his friends discuss the new schedule. He felt as if every pair of eyes was on him. He had no idea whether his classmates knew what had happened yesterday or not. Even so, the conversation they’d just had sounded suspicious enough. The feeling of being treated like a small child when people looked at you with pity, afraid to say the wrong thing. It was starting to irritate him. However, Suo kept his hands behind his straight back. With every step, he tried to maintain the same confidence, and with every smile, the same unshakable calm.

Classes went on as usual. At least, that’s how it was at first. He listened carefully to the teachers and wrote down the necessary notes. But the longer he sat at school, the more tired and headache he felt. During breaks, he barely spoke. His strength was only enough to keep his eyes open, let alone make a sarcastic remark or keep up a conversation. He caught only fragments of what was happening around him, slipping in and out of reality.

At least there was only one lesson left. Although even keeping his eyes open felt like a challenge to him. The rustle of turning pages, the soft scratching of pens on paper, and the teacher’s calm voice lulled him. Several times, he jerked awake, feeling himself drifting off as his head slowly dipped forward. It happened again and again until Suo finally let his head fall onto his arms and slipped into sleep.

He slept so deeply that he didn’t hear the bell or the students saying goodbye as they left for home or patrol. He didn’t hear his friends either, who were now gathered around his desk.

“Suo…?” Nirei whispered, leaning slightly to try to see his face, which was buried in his arms.

“And we’re just going to leave it like this?” Sakura huffed and crossed his arms. “We’re really going to pretend everything’s fine when it clearly isn’t?”

“We can’t pressure him, but Sakura has a point,” Kiryu agreed, watching their sleeping friend. “He looks worse than yesterday.”

“He was so quiet today, and then he fell asleep in class. That’s not like him at all,” the blond boy muttered, nervously fidgeting with his hands.

“We just need to talk to him instead of sitting around wondering what to do,” the black‑and‑white haired boy decided firmly. “Or at least tell him he can talk to us.”

“Says the guy who only recently started talking about anything himself,” Kiryu remarked dryly, earning a shove in the shoulder.

“Shut up!” The boy snapped, blushing with embarrassment.

Nirei watched them with a quiet laugh before saying:
“Sakura’s right. We’re not on patrol today anyway, so I think we can talk on the way to Kotoha’s.”

The blond boy happily clapped his hands. The sound wasn’t loud but sharp. Even in his sleep, Suo instinctively flinched and tried to cover his head, loosening his grip. The pen he was holding slipped from his fingers and clattered loudly onto the floor. The sound made him jerk upright and look around in confusion.

“Sorry, that was too sudden,” Nirei apologized and picked up the fallen pen.

Suo looked rumpled and exhausted. Deep dark circles still shadowed his eyes, and the earring stuck to his cheek only added to the impression of disorientation and messiness.

“Surprised you woke up from a pen dropping and not from Sakura yelling,” Kiryu laughed, pointing at the culprit.

“It's your fault,” the older boy grumbled defensively in response.

“I guess I’ve just gotten used to your yelling,” Suo said calmly, adjusting his eyepatch and earrings. “How long has everyone been gone?”

“About five minutes. We wanted to wake you up, but you were fast asleep.” Nirei replied, checking the time on his phone.

“Sorry for causing trouble,” Suo said, gathering his school things. “I should head home and catch up on sleep.”

“You’re not coming with us to Kotoha’s?” Sakura asked bluntly, reminding him they’d promised to help her.

“If you’re tired, you shouldn’t force yourself,” Nirei immediately cut in, waving his hands anxiously.

“Ah… right,” Suo murmured. He immediately noticed the faint sadness behind his friend’s gentle smile, so he quickly added, “I’m not sure how useful I’ll be, but if we promise, then I’ll go. I’ll sleep tonight.”

He stood up quickly to prove his words. His leg still ached when he walked, but he’d grown so used to the pain that he barely noticed it anymore. He hurried out of the classroom, waiting for his friends.
“Kiryu, are you coming with us?” Suo asked.

“Huh? Oh, no, I’m on patrol with Sugishita now. He wanted to stop by Umemiya first, so I’m going to get him now,” the pink‑haired boy replied, smiling with his usual cat‑like grin. “Well then, good luck! Don’t get bored without me.”

He waved quickly and headed toward the roof, where Umemiya always was. While the rest of the group made their way downstairs and out onto the street. Now that they were outside, Suo no longer felt the wind. The sun, which had only begun to rise earlier that morning, was now shining brightly, warming everything around them. Even so, he liked the feeling of sunlight on his skin. In a way, it was calming.

But the strange, prolonged silence from his friends made him uneasy. It felt like they wanted to say something, but couldn’t. The unspoken tension made the atmosphere awkward.

“Did you sleep badly today?”

“Hm?” Suo turned to the friend on his right, briefly thinking the question wasn’t meant for him. But Nirei was looking directly at him, waiting for an answer. “Ah… well, yeah. A little.”

“You know you can tell us anything that’s bothering you,” the boy said softly. The sunlight reflected in his large yellow eyes, making them glow with kindness and hope.

“Yeah, of course,” Suo agreed, lowering his gaze to the ground. He couldn’t lie while looking directly into his friend’s eyes. “But everything is fine. I just messed up my sleep schedule.”

“That’s not true!” Sakura suddenly snapped, drawing all attention to himself. “You’re always lying and hiding things. You look like you’re constantly thinking about something, and it’s clearly upsetting you. This isn’t just tiredness. But you stay quiet, hoping we’re idiots who’ll believe you.”

“And you’re the one saying that?” The words came out harsher than Suo intended. He hadn’t planned to say anything at all, but emotion pushed the reply out of him.

“Yes, I’m the one saying it! Because no one else will tell you this to your face. I trusted all of you. I trusted you. We’ve been through so much together, and during that time I learned to talk, to open up, to trust others. So why can’t you trust us? Trust me the way I trust you, Suo.”

“Sakura…” Nirei tugged anxiously at his classmate’s sleeve, trying to calm him down.

“Just get over yourself already. Stop lying to us. We’re not strangers,” Sakura muttered irritably, brushing back his black‑and‑white hair.

“Yeah…” Suo whispered after a moment of thinking over everything he’d just heard. A faint smile touched his lips as he leaned slightly forward. “But everything really is fine.”

“Go to hell!” Sakura burst out, speeding up toward the café that was already in sight.

The sight of that perfectly shaped yet painfully fake smile infuriated him. The way the sunlight fell across his friend’s shoulders only emphasized how pale his skin was and how deep the dark circles under his eyes had become. It was as if the weight of many years had suddenly fallen on such a fragile figure. Sakura would never call Suo weak or delicate, but the way the light scattered across him made the scene feel unreal. Like he was looking at someone long gone, someone distant from this world. Someone he couldn’t reach or understand, no matter how hard he tried. Sakura hated being unable to do anything. Especially when it involved his friends. Friends he had gained so recently and had no intention of losing so soon. The anger burned the strongest.

With all his fury, the young man with mismatched eyes kicked the door. It crashed against the cafe wall, causing the girl behind the counter to jump in surprise.

“Oh—Sakura, it’s you! What happened? Where are the others? Or did you come alone—” Kotoha immediately began bombarding him with questions as he trudged inside with a gloomy expression.

“They’ll be here soon,” he muttered, sitting down at the counter.

“So what hap—” she began, but the door opened again. This time, quietly, letting in two boys who waved in greeting.

“Hello, boys, perfect timing,” the cafe owner said cheerfully, trying her best not to acknowledge the tense atmosphere. “Do you want something to drink or eat?”

“Wouldn’t say no,” Nirei agreed, and Sakura nodded too. “What do you need help with?”

“Oh, right!” Kotoha pulled out a small metal sign and leaned it against the chair. “I need to hang this above the door. It’s not heavy, just a bit too big for me to put up alone.”

“No problem,” Sakura said firmly, glancing at Nirei while avoiding eye contact with their other friend.

“Will you two manage on your own?” The girl asked, sounding slightly unsure, before continuing. “Suo shouldn’t strain his leg, and I have another task I need help with.”

Suo looked up in surprise, as if he had only now fully returned to reality after entering the cafe and staring blankly at the wall this whole time. Sakura’s loud voice rang out beside him. He had already grabbed a chair and approached Nirei, saying:
“Of course. You can count on us.”

When the girl and the two boys stepped outside to show where the sign should go, the third boy was left alone. It was midday, and the cafe was empty. However, it was not particularly popular with anyone except the students of Furin.

Still, without the voices in the background, it felt lonely. Suo climbed onto a tall barstool and stared down at his hands. Truthfully, he felt useless, like dead weight. His leg didn’t even hurt that much; he could have helped. But his friends cared too much about him. Sakura’s words echoed in his mind, making his stomach twist with anxiety. He shouldn’t have spoken to his friend like that. Sakura had been in a worse situation than him, yet he still handled things better. Suo’s brows drew together as he clenched his hands tighter, thinking it all over. To be honest, he was even more confused now.

Thoughts tangled in his head. What was better for his friends and what was better for himself? What he should do or what should he say? He had never shared his worries with anyone else. His master knew only a little. Suo always ran from emotions and failures. He turned every negative feeling inward, using it as motivation to become stronger. But what was he supposed to do when the people closest to him wanted him to share his weaknesses?

His thoughts spun in circles, refusing to come to rest. He couldn’t calm or organize them as he usually did. It only made him feel sick and gave him a headache.

“Suo…” Kotoha’s soft voice called to him — she had already returned from outside. “Do you want some tea?”

“Yeah… I guess,” he answered quietly, returning to reality.

She nodded in satisfaction, set the kettle on, and gently asked:
“Did you and the boys have a fight? What happened?”

“It’s that obvious, huh…?” Hayato asked with a defeated sigh, though the question was mostly rhetorical. “It’s my fault.”
The boy with the eyepatch lowered his head even more. Guilt flooded him, heavy and suffocating as a fog. His heart hurt more than his damned leg.

“Why do you think that?” She asked carefully, afraid to scare him off.

“Because I’m not mature enough to take care of myself!” His voice was muffled as he rubbed his eye harshly, feeling tears rising. “Everyone keeps worrying, no matter how many times I say I’m fine.”

“But are you fine, Suo?”
The question hit him like a punch. It sounded exactly like something his own mind, the rational part still clinging on, would ask. Tears spilled instantly, blurring his vision. Every time he tried to wipe them away, his breath hitched into a sob. His fingers dug into his hair as if trying to anchor himself and stop himself from falling apart completely.
He wasn’t sure anymore if he was fine. When you’re truly okay, you don’t cry… right?

He heard voices, but couldn’t tell who they belonged to. Maybe Kotoha was trying to comfort him. All he could do was sob again, smearing tears across his cheeks. He felt someone gently pull his hand out of his hair. Then he felt someone's body and the measured beating of someone else's heart. Despite his rapid heartbeat, his breathing was calm. He wanted to follow it and merge with that steady rhythm. So he did. Taking deep breaths in and out. It reminded him of the breathing exercises he used to do with his teacher when he was young. It reminded him that he wasn’t alone.
At first, his breathing trembled, breaking the rhythm, but soon he calmed enough to whisper apologies, still unable to lift his gaze.

“I… I’m sorry. I shouldn’t be crying. I’ll get stronger, I’ll train more…”

“Suo, look at me.”
The voice was firm and steady as someone tugged his hand gently.

When he lifted his head, he immediately recognized Sakura. His gray‑yellow eyes stared straight into his, and Sakura’s hand was still pressed over Suo’s, holding it against his chest. Realizing it had been him the whole time. The friend he’d snapped at made a lump rise in Suo’s throat again. He tried to look away, but Sakura still held his hand.

“I’m sorry, Sakura. I shouldn't have talked to you like that. None of this is your fault. It’s all mine! I’m too weak, like a child,” Suo whispered desperately.

“What are you talking about?” Sakura frowned, staring at him. “What exactly are you blaming yourself for? What the hell are you apologizing for?”

“For everything. If I were stronger, I wouldn’t have hurt my leg and made you all worry,” Suo explained, gripping Sakura’s shirt tighter. “And even then, I couldn’t even train properly. I just made it worse.”

“You’re not a robot, Suo,” Nirei said softly. He has been there the entire time. He leaned closer so that Suo could see him and placed a gentle hand on his shoulder. “It’s great that you’re motivated to keep moving forward, but you shouldn’t hate yourself for not being able to do everything right away. We’re all human and we all make mistakes. We learn from them. No one’s perfect, and you don’t have to be either. Asking for help isn’t shameful. Even adults ask for help. Sometimes we can only reach our goals together. And I still think you’re an amazing teacher.”

Suo absorbed every word. He liked the warm feeling spreading in his chest and the sense of relief washing over him. The tension in his muscles faded, and a soft genuine smile appeared on his face.

“Thank you… both of you.”

“Nirei’s right. We’ll always be here to help,” Sakura muttered, his cheeks reddening, still not used to receiving gratitude. He moved Suo’s hand away from his chest but kept their fingers intertwined. After a brief hesitation, he continued:
“You mentioned you made your leg worse…”

“Ah, right. The wound opened a little, so I had to stitch it. But it’s fine!”

“You called a doctor and didn’t tell us?” Nirei asked, suddenly tense.

“No, I did it myself. My phone was too far away.”
Suo said it lightly, though with every word, his friends’ expressions grew darker.

“Idiot, don’t joke like that,” Sakura muttered, sounding both harsh and disbelieving.

“I’m serious! But it’s fine,” Suo insisted, stumbling slightly as he remembered how suspicious those words must sound coming from him. “I know it sounds bad, but it’s true. I had a medical needle and thread. Everything’s okay.”

“Suo?”
His classmate’s amber eyes widened, filled with worry.

“I don’t know if you’re a terrible comedian or a terrible doctor, but we’re going to the hospital right now,” Sakura declared firmly, tightening his grip on Suo’s hand.

“What about the tea? And your food?”
The one‑eyed boy glanced at Kotoha, who had been standing nearby the whole time, watching the scene unfold with concern.

“It’s not going anywhere. Let’s go,” Sakura said. His mismatched irises glinted in the sunlight as he tugged his stubborn friend toward the door, pulling him out of the cafe.

Looking back, Suo saw Nirei hurrying after them while Kotoha smiled softly as she watched them leave.

They were right. Life doesn’t end because of one mistake, and he will come back here many more times. Maybe someday he would learn to accept help without guilt. Maybe he would learn to trust himself the way they trusted him.